5 ways to deal with an absentee boss

Always take the initiative to update your boss on projects, progress, and key points to show them how productive you are, says Kamat.

An absentee boss can be a major hurdle in a team and requires a lot more planning and communication from team members if they are to deliver tasks on time. ET finds out how to deal with such a boss.

1. Get Organised

If the boss's unavailability is a regular issue, the organisational skills of team members have to take priority. "Make sure every contact with your boss is clear and concise," says Swapnil Kamat, founder, CEO and chief trainer at Work Better. "Always reconfirm your understanding so you don't have to return with follow-up questions," he says. Think of everything that may go wrong and the solutions.

2. Be Proactive

An absentee boss can lead team members to believe they can take similar liberties. "The best way for you to deal with this as a productive employee is to take stronger yet supervised decisions on your own and lead from the front in your best capacity with regard to programmes your manager undertook or initiated," says Srimathi Shivashankar — AVP diversity & sustainability, HCL Technologies.

3. Ask Questions

Always take the initiative to update your boss on projects, progress, and key points to show them how productive you are, says Kamat. "But you need to decide the line between too much information and smooth execution of work. You need to know how often you have to communicate, what does your boss really need to know and what do you need to be kept informed on from the boss," he adds.

4. Draw the Line

Set boundaries for yourself in the absence of your boss to maintain the air of a disciplined work ethic, says Shivashankar. "It can be easy to stop using your time wisely or 'take it easy' in the absence of someone monitoring you every day," he adds. Set your own targets and your own pace of achievement. Also, do not let anyone take advantage of your boss's absence and pass on their work to you.

5. Seek Guidance

If you are a part of the millennial workforce, you may feel you are ready to take charge. However, there will always be that tuning or finesse that will be missing from your work, due to lack of experience. "To make sure your work carries that professional tinge, always seek out opinions and suggestions rather than waiting for your absent boss to react to your mistakes," says Shivashankar.